3/25/2024 basketball Edit

UConn Hoops: Huskies advance to Sweet 16 behind Clingan's dominance

Stratton Stave • UConnReport

Staff Writer

The Sweet 16 is not something unfamiliar to the UConn men’s basketball team. They’ve been there 19 times and the past three have resulted in national championships. After blasting Stetson in the first round, all that stood in between them and the Sweet 16 was a red-hot Northwestern team that outlasted FAU in the first round.

The game went about as well as the Huskies could have hoped for, at least in the first 30 minutes. They jumped the Wildcats from the start, but it wasn’t their incredible shooting that got them ahead. As Connecticut shot 13.6% from beyond the arc on the evening, their defense was incredible. UConn played well on the inside too, which proved to be enough in their 75-58 victory.

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“Just obviously impressed with the performance,” UConn coach Dan Hurley noted postgame. “You know, just really attacked them in the paint. Obviously the injuries that they have sustained during the year changed the total complexion of that team. That team, you know, with those two guys that they lost, we're not playing them today; they are probably a 5 seed or a 6 seed.”

Northwestern didn’t get into any sort of a flow until it was too late, shooting 37% from the field and 27% from three. This included an especially rough night from their star, Boo Buie, who managed 9 points on 2 made shots. There was one Husky in particular to thank for the excellent defense.

That would be CT-native Donovan Clingan, who had an incredible night. The center had one of his best career games under the bright lights of the Barclays Center. He scored 14 points and 14 boards on 7 shots, doing everything the Huskies needed of him. Most of his production came in the first half, including the majority of his career-best 8 blocks.

“Yeah, I feel healthier and lighter than I've ever felt,” Clingan mentioned. “I just really got my confidence back, and you know, just trying to fly around the court and do whatever my team needs me to do to win.”

As for stopping Buie, that was largely the work of freshman Stephon Castle. The likely first-rounder wasn’t amazing on the offensive end and found himself in foul trouble down the stretch, but did well to limit Buie.

“That was a lot of steps from Has [Diarra] mixed in there, too, but Steph caused problems,” Hurley said on the defense against Buie. “Just the size, the foot speed, the strength. And we also put it to them on the ball screen game. This for us was about Langborg, Barnhizer, and Boo. It hurt them missing the shooter, Berry. Just not having another floor spacer out there for them and then missing their starting center, obviously hurt them. But Steph is the anti-entitled five-star freshman. He does nothing but help his team win.”

Along with the difficulty of stopping Buie in this game alone, there was also the added effect of this ending his career.

“It’s hard to do,” Spencer noted on finishing Buie’s time in college. “You’re going to get everyone’s best shot when their season’s on the line. I have a connection with Boo with my brother playing with him for a year at Northwestern. Great family, great kid, had a heck of a career. Happy for Boo and all of his success at Northwestern, but I’m happy we got the win.”

UConn guard Tristen Newton had similar thoughts on their efforts against Buie.

“It’s tough, you know nobody wants to end their career on a loss,” Newton added. “We’re going to try our best, Steph and Has did a great job of holding him to a terrible last game of his career. So good luck to him wherever he goes, but we’re focused on ourselves.”

Newton also had an All-America worthy game, notching a 20 point, 10 assist double double. And it only took him 13 shots to get there. All the more impressive about his night was the 0-6 he shot from beyond the arc. As was true with the team as a whole, Newton proved that he can still be effective even when he’s not knocking down his deep shots. It’s a good omen for the team long term, as they’re likely not going to shoot worse than they did Sunday.

“I gotta make some threes, I can’t do that again,” Newton said with a laugh. “My teammates found me with some good looks, I got to the free throw line pretty often. I feel like I should be making every free throw, so if I make the free throws and finish layups, I’ll have a pretty good game.”

Hurley, as per usual, did not shy away from praising his point guard.

“The NBA people, the right people, value the size, the all-around game, the range on the shot, the competitiveness, all the winner qualities,” Hurley said. “And you know, he's in the process right now of putting together a resumé as a guard. Obviously we have a lot of work to do here. But you're talking about a guy that has got the Final Four, the National Championship, the Big East Tournament, the regular season, he's got the First Team All-American. Obviously he got Big East Player of the Year AP. He didn't get it from the coaches. His two-year run in that UConn uniform is as good as anyone's had, and I think UConn has had good guards.”

Connecticut got off to a nice start on the offensive end, but their defense was automatic and stifling. As Newton, Castle and Clingan added their contributions towards the game’s first 7 points, they held the Wildcats scoreless for the first three minutes and to 4 points after eight minutes.

And things didn’t get any easier for them. Even as the Huskies had difficulties putting the ball in the hoop from the perimeter, sailing was smooth thanks to some phenomenal interior production. While a Castle dunk set the tone with a fastbreak slam, it was Clingan who had an unstoppable first half.

Northwestern had absolutely no answer for the Huskies’ star center, who had a double double and 5 swatted shots before the opening half had even concluded. Spencer and Newton each hit threes late, as UConn closed out the half with a 22 point lead and Boston in sight.

Connecticut continued to pour it in in the early goings of the second half, with Newton scoring 5 straight points. The Wildcats looked extremely flustered and before long, a Samson Johnson slam had the Huskies up by 30.

Then came Brooks Barnhizer. The junior went on a personal 8-2 run, blitzing UConn when they least expected it. A pretty layup from Newton provided a nice answer, but another Wildcat surge shrunk their deficit to 16. As the clock ticked down, Northwestern never got any closer and UConn emerged with a 17-point victory.

Next up for the Huskies is a date with the winner of San Diego State on Thursday at 7:39 p.m.. The Huskies won’t have to travel far for that one, just an hour and a half northeast to TD Garden in Boston.